In the wake of an ongoing occupation of an independent nation of Georgia by Russian armed forces, Azerbaijani American community is concerned with lack of proper attention to the region of South Caucasus and protection of Western values by the United States.

As an Azerbaijani American, who is concerned on matters related to security and development in South Caucasus, I'd like to draw your attention on continuing illegal occupation of Azerbaijan by Armenian armed forces.

As you know, in 1988-94, Azerbaijan suffered from armed aggression of neighboring Republic of Armenia. Aided by disbanded Russian 366th regiment, Armenian nationalists staged an act of violent war on ethnic Azerbaijanis residing in Karabakh region of Azerbaijan as well as in Armenia proper with the purpose of illegally annexing Nagorno-Karabakh, integral part of internationally recognized sovereign Azerbaijan Republic.

Immediately after collapse of Soviet Union, the newly independent Azerbaijan Republic forcibly drawn into a conflict with Armenia refused to keep Soviet troops on its soil. Russian regiments stationed in Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan virtually controlled by generals of Armenian ethnicity illegally transferred light ammunition and heavy machinery including tanks, fighter jets and armed helicopters, to Armenian army. A year later, starting from spring of 1993, Armenian army attacked and ethnically cleansed 5 Azerbaijani regions of Kelbajar (April 2), Agdam (July 23), Fizuli and Jebrayil (August 23) and Gubadly (August 31). In a matter of a few more weeks, Zangelan region (October 29) was also occupied and cleansed from Azerbaijani civilians.

Immediately, UN Security Council passed four subsequent resolutions 822, 853, 874, 884 in April-November, 1993 expressing discontent and calling Armenian occupying forces to withdraw from occupied territories and allow return of Azerbaijani refugees. [1]

On March 14, 2008, the UN General Assembly reiterated its position on territorial integrity of Azerbaijan and illegal occupation on part of Armenia by adopting resolution A/62/L.42 calling for immediate, complete and unconditional withdrawal of Armenian forces "from all the occupied territories of the Republic of Azerbaijan." [2]. Armenian is yet to comply.

On behalf of Azerbaijani Americans, I urge you to do whatever is necessary to move the situation to its rightful resolution within the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan:

1) to pressure government of Republic of Armenia to comply with UN Security Council and GA resolutions;

2) to remove all Armenian military forces illegally stationed in Azerbaijan;

3) to allow return Azerbaijani displaced persons back to their homes;

4) to remove blockade of Nakhchivan, Azerbaijani exclave region sandwiched between Armenia and Iran;

5) to return all POWs

Azerbaijan is on the path of rapid economic development diversifying energy security of United States and Europe via oil and gas export projects (Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan, Baku-Supsa, Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum, and future Nabucco pipelines), Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railroad construction; provides peacekeeping forces in Afghanistan and Iraq and is a strategic political and economic ally to our country.

NOTES:

[1] http://www.state.gov/p/eur/rls/or/13508.htm

[2] http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=25986&Cr=general&Cr1=assembly